Unhairing-machine.



L. T. WEISS & A. CHAPAL.

uunmms MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 2. IQIB. 7 1,217,377. Patented Feb.27, 1917.

' 2 SHEE'ITS- SHEET I,

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L. T. WEISS & A. CHAPAL.

UNHAIRING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2. I916 Patented Feb.27,1917.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

LOUIS T. WEISS, OF BROOKLYN, AND ANTONIN CHAPAL. OF CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK.

UNHAIRING-MACHINE.

Specification of Eetters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that e, Louis T. hues and ANTONIN CHAPAL, citizens of the United States, and residing in the borough of Brooklyn of the city of New York and in Central Park, Long Island, respectively, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Unhairing-h lachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being-had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof. v

Machines for unhairing pelts of all kinds by removing the water hairs therefrom usually comprise a fixed stretcher bar, means for stretching and intermittently feeding a pelt over said stretcher bar, devices located above the stretcher bar and near the edge of the same to brush down the fur while allowing the hair to stand, a brushing de; vice below the stretcher bar for separating the fur from the hair, a guard comb below the stretcher bar to retain the fur and suit able knives arranged to cut off the projecting water hairs. The present machine is of the same general character in that it embodies suitable means for performing the indicated functions, but it is of improved construction in certain respects, the most important of which has to do with the cutting knives and their relative disposition to each other and to their respective operating mechanism whereby space is economized at the most important portions of the frame of the machine and more effective and timely cooperation between the separating brushes, the guard comb and the knives is made possible. In accordance with the invention there are employed, for the first time, two. oppositely moving rotary blades, one of which rotates continuously and the other of which merely oscillates to and fro from its cutting position at the edge of the stretcher bar to a retracted position Well beneath the operating mechanism and out of the plane of movement of all of the elements of such mechanism. By providing this oscillating movement for one of the blades along the arc of a circle instead of in a'fiXed plane, it may, by movement through a relatively short are, be retracted to a position entirely clear of all of the other elements of the machine. As will appear hereinafter, this is of especial importance in the designing of the guard comb since it permits the .lm-

requisite of all successful machines. also an advantage because the two cutting proved comb to follow the separating brush below the pelt much more closely than heretofore and be followed, in turn,cl0sely by the oscillating blade, thereby insuring a great saving of time in the operation of the machine and also effecting and maintaining,

until cutting, that complete separation of the fur from the hair which is the primary It is edges of the knives are easily adjusted for cutting and will keep in proper adjustment and make less noise and can be operated faster thanwhen one knife is moved in a plane. A further object of the invention has to do with the provision of improved mechanism for interrupting, at the will of the operator, movement of the oscillating knife, as may be desirableat times,'and permitting reconnection of this knife with its driving element invariably in predetermined phase relation to the other moving parts of the machine. The improvements will appear in greater detail hereinafter in connection with the description of the accompanying drawings, in Which Figurel is a fragmentary view in side elevation of so much of an unhairing machine of known type as is necessary for an understanding of the application thereto of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with some of the known parts omitted in the interest of clearness and showing the unhairing devices at a different stage of operation.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View in detail showing particularly the relation of the unhairing elements proper at the instant of cutting.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in detail and on a somewhat larger scale of the particular mechanism with which the invention is concerned and showing the oscillating blade connected to its driving eccentric.

Fig. 5 is a view similar generally to Fig. 4, but showing the clutch devices for the oscillating blade in such position as to disconnect the blade from its driving eccentric.

The main frame a of the machine carries thereon the usual stretcher bar 6 over which passes an apron c on which the pelt d is- Above the stretcher bar 6 is mounted rotatably a brush 6 which serves to stir up the fur and hairs and cause the hairs to rise and free themselves from the surrounding fur or soft hairs, which latter are straightened by the continuous action of the quickly rotating brush and laid flat on the pelt. The brush 6 receives its rotating movement through belt f which passes over a pulley g mounted above the pelt on a shaft h, rotation of which is caused by a belt 2' which engages a pulley is carried on another shaft Z which, in turn, receives its rotative movement from the main drive shaft on of the machine, as hrough a driving belt a interposed operatively between pulleys Z and m carried respectively on said shafts. Below the pelt is supported a rotary separating brush 0 journaled in arms 0, which are pivotally connected at their ends to a cross-head p reciprocably mounted on the frame a, and intermediate their ends to a link 0 which is, in turn, pivotally connected to the frame. Rotative movement is given to the brush 0 through a belt h which also takes its power from the shaft h. Directly beneath the edge of the stretcher bar is supported a guard comb which is mounted on the frame a at one end, as indicated at q, and is connected pivotally intermediate its ends to the cross-head 79, as by a link g whereby a swinging movement of the guard comb into and out of operative relation to the pelt is imparted by reciprocation of the cross-head. It should be noted particularly that the guard comb (,1, being supported at one side of the separator brush 0 and movable in harmony therewith by actuation of the reciprocating cross-head 79, may be disposed Very close to the brush and is thereby adapted to move into engagement with the fur directly behind the brush. In this way, not only is time saved but the guard comb engages the fur at a time when it is laid flat by the separator brush and so there is little danger of any of the fur standing out with the hair prior to the cutting.

On the shaft Z is supported a rotary cutting blade Z as on a radial arm Z and this knife has imparted thereto a continuous rotative movement by the continuously rotating shaft Z, in the manner he-reinbefore described. The edge of the pelt, at which the cutting occurs, is adjusted in such relation to this continuously rotating knife as to insure the shearing of the water hairs close to the hide. Loosely mounted on the same shaft Z, as by arms Z, disposed at opposite sides of the supporting arms Z for the coin tinuously rotating blade Z is an oscillating cutting blade Z adapted to cooperate with the continuously rotating blade Z to effect the cutting. The are of movement of every part of the oscillating blade Z lies outside of the arc of movement of every part of the continuously rotating blade Z so that the last named blade is free to rotate continuously and without interference and effect the desired shearing action at the cutting point. Oscillation of the knife 5 is effected by means of a pitman 1" connected to an eccentric strap 1" which cooperates with an eccentric 7' supported loosely on the main driving shaft'm, but adapted to be connected releasably therewith by clutch de vices to be described. The purpose of interposing a clutch devicebetween the oscillating knife Z and its driving shaft m is to enable the operator to interrupt the movement of the knife at will, as may be desirable for special adjustment of the pelt, or

for other reasons, and the improved clutch is of such character as to insure the reconnection of this blade with the shaft in pre determined phase relation to the other co operating moving elements of the machine. Reference is to be had to Figs. a and for an understanding of a suitable clutch for bringing about this interruption and invariable reconnection. The eccentric 4' has formed on one face a hub r through which extends a channel r in which is disposed slidably a key 8. One end of this key normally protrudes beyond the periphery of the hub r under the pressure of a spring a seated in the inner end of a channel 1'' and abutting against the inner end of the Outward movement of the key under the m fiuence of this spring is limited, however, by a shoulder s which engages a corresponding shoulder formed in the hub 7 In the plane of the key s the drive shaft on is grooved so as to receive the key and be locked thereby in driving engagement with the hub r and the eccentric r Suitably mounted on the frame in juxtaposition to the eccentric is an actuating member t which may be operated manually for the purpose of effecting the connection or disconnection of the shaft m with the eccentric r edge t of the controlling member t is formed with a cam face along which the protruding end of the key 8 rides when the member t is thrown toward the hub r, as will be evident from F 5. Cooperation of the end of the key 8 with the cam face A" during rotation of the hub r causes the key to be forced inwardly in the channel "2"" to a point where a curved recess 8 on the edge of the key 8 comes into concentric lation to the shaft m, thereby effecting at 3 once disconnection of the shaft with the hub r and permitting the shaft to rotate idiv in the hub. The disconnection described may be accompanied by the positive lock ing of the hub r with the clutch controlling member 6, as by a spring-pressed latch 24 which may extend from the periphery of the hub and be adapted to snap into channel 25 in the edge of the controllin I i member t when this controlling member 1s CID moved toward the hub 1 for the purpose of effecting interruption of the driving connections between the eccentric 7' and the shaft m.

The operation of the improved machine is as follows: The pelt (Z is placed in proper position on the apron whereupon the upper brush 6 will disentangle the fur from the hair while the sliding cross-head p, through its connection 7) with the drive shaft m, will be moved forward to carry the separator brush 0 up to the edge of the pelt and simultaneously swing the guard comb q downwardly to permit free operation of the separator. When the cross head 79 is moved in the opposite direction, the brush 0 will be drawn rearwardly along the surface of the pelt and the guard comb q will be moved into engagement with the fur just under the edge of the pelt and to the rear of the brush. Almost co-incidentally' with the positioning of the guard comb for the purpose of retaining the fur, the rotating blade Z will meet the oscillating blade Z opposite the edge of the pelt and the projecting water hairs will be sheared off. Immediately thereupon the blade Z is retracted while the blade Z continues its unidirectional rotation. The pelt is then advanced slightly and the brushes operate to prepare another portion of the pelt for the cutting of the stifi hairs. By providing the improved oscillating knife l it is possible to throw this knife downward and away from the edge of the pelt so that the guard comb g, which must also be retracted during the action of the separator brush, may be positioned directly below the edge of this pelt and be thrown down over the knife Z", as appears clearly from Fig. 2. Conversely, as the guard comb g is thrown upward to engage the fur, the present construction permits of concurrent movement of the blade Z just behind the guard comb, so that no sooner is the fur engaged by the comb than the blades cut the stifi hairs in the manner described. This close coordination of movements and operations is of importance in a machine of this character since it not only saves agreat deal of time but it insures, to a degree heretofore unknown, the retention of the fur by the comb during the cuttin The unhairing elements proper cannot be so mounted and their respective actuating devices so organized as to procure the advantages noted where the oscillating knife is not adapted to be withdrawn to a remote position with respect to the edge of the pelt. By swinging the oscillating blade along the arc of a circle and thereby moving it laterallv as well as downwardly with respect to the edge of the pelt, it may be caused to assume a position which is, to all intents and purposes, remote from this edge, without requiring a range of actual movement so great as is usually employed where the knife reciproca-tes in a fixed plane. When it becomes desirable to interrupt the unhairing operation momentarily the operator may throw the controlling member 73 toward the hub r thereby bringing about the automatic disengagement of the hub from the drive shaft m and the stoppage of rotation of the eccentric r By reason of the engagement of the latch u with the recess in the controlling member If, the final position of rest of all the parts, including the knife Z is invariably the same whenever this connection is interrupted. The other elements of the unhairing devices proper run idly until the cutting is to be resumed, whereupon the operator throws the controlling member 6 away from the hub and permits automatically the reengagement of the hub with the shaft m at a predetermined point and a resumption of the oscillations of the knife Z in the same phase relation to the movements of all of the other elements, and particularly the rotating blade Z since all of the elements of the machine are driven from the single power shaft m.

While the present invention is directed particularly to the improvement, in certain well defined respects, of an unhairing machine of known type, it does not follow that such improvements may not be embodied in substance and the advantages realized by changes in form and arrangement of the several parts. This is particularly true as concerns the clutch mechanism and the actuating member therefor since these parts, in the form illustrated, are especially susceptible of modification in ways which will be apparent to the skilled mechanic. The scope of the invention is to be determined from the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an unhairing machine, the combination of a fiXed stretcher bar over which the pelt may be drawn, a brush disposed above the stretcher bar to brush down the fur while allowing the hair to stand, a brushing device below the stretcher bar for separating the fur from the hair, a guard comb to retain the fur, and oppositely moving knives, each of which has a movement through the arc of a circle for cutting the hair.

2. In an unhairing machine, the combination of a fixed stretcher bar over which the pelt may be drawn, a brush disposed above the stretcher bar to brush down the fur while allowing the hair to stand, a brushing device below the stretcher bar for separating the fur from the hair, a guard comb to retain the fur, a rotary knife and a swinging knife movable through the arc of a circle cooperating therewith to cut the hair.

3. In an unhairing machine, the combination of a fixed stretcher bar over which the rotary knife and cooperating therewith to cut the hair.

L. In an unhalrlng machine, the combination of a fixed stretcher bar over which the pelt may be drawn, a brush disposed above the stretcher bar to brush down the fur while allowing the hair to stand, a brushing device below the stretcher bar for separating the fur from the hair, a guard comb to retain the fur, a rotary knife, an oscillating knife mounted concentrically with the rotary knife and cooperating therewith to cut the hair, and a common rotative shaft on which said knives are mounted, said shaft having the rotary knives fixed thereon.

5. In an unhairing machine, the combination of a fixed stretcher bar over which the pelt may be drawn, a brush disposed above the stretcher bar to brush down the fur while allowing the hair to stand, a brushing device below the stretcher bar for separating the fur from the hair, a guard comb to retain the fur, a rotary knife, an oscillating knife mounted concentrically with the rotary knife and cooperating therewith to cut the hair, a common rotative shaft on which said knives are mounted, said shaft having the rotary knives fixed thereon, a main drive shaft operatively connected to said first named shaft, an eccentric carried on the drive shaft, and a pitman connection between said eccentric and the oscillating knife to swing the same in proper phase relation to the rotating knife.

6. In an unhairing machine, the combination of a fixed stretcher bar over which the pelt may be drawn, a brush disposed above the stretcher bar to brush down the fur while allowing the hair to stand, a brushing device below the stretcher bar for separating the fur from the hair, a guard comb to retain the fur, a rotary knife, an oscillating knife mounted concentrically with the rotary knife and cooperating therewith to cut the hair, a common rotative shaft on which said knives are mounted, said shaft having the rotary knives fixed thereon, a main drive shaft operatively connected to said first named shaft, an eccentric carried on the drive shaft, a pitman connection between said eccentric and the oscillating knife to swing the same in proper phase relation to the rotating knife, and clutch devices interposed operatively between the main drive shaft and the oscillating knife for interrupting the movements of the knife when in retracted position.

7. In an unhairing machine, the combination of a fixed stretcher bar over which the pelt may be drawn, a brush disposed above the stretcher bar to brush down the fur while allowing the hair to stand, a brushing device below the stretcher bar for separating the fur from the hair, a guard comb to retain the fur, a rotary knife, an oscillating knife mounted concentrically with the rotary knife and cooperating therewith to cut the hair, a common rotative shaft on which said knives are mounted, said shaft having the rotary knives fixed thereon, a main drive shaft operatively connected to said first named shaft, an eccentric carried on the drive shaft, a pitman connection between said eccentric and the oscillating knife to swing the same in proper phase relation to the rotating knife, clutch devices operatively interposed between the main drive shaft and the oscillating knife for interrupting the movements of the knife when in retracted position, and devices for locking the knife in retracted position.

8. In an unhairing machine, the combination of a fixed stretcher bar over which the pelt may be drawn, a rotary separating brush below the stretcher bar, a swinging guard bar pivoted to the frame of the machine below the stretcher bar and disposed close beside the brush, a rotary knife, a swinging oscillating knife cooperating therewith to cut the hair, and means to move the rotary brush, the bar and the oscillating knife in unison to effect timely cooperation thereof.

9. In an unhairing machine, means to separate the hair from the fur, a rotary knife, an oscillating knife cooperating there with, a main drive shaft, an eccentric mounted loosely thereon, a pitman connection between the oscillating knife and the eccentric, a hub formed on one face of the eccentric and having mounted therein a key to lock the hub with the drive shaft, said key normally protruding beyond the periphery of the hub, a manually operable controlling member having a cam face against which the protruding end of the hub may be caused to ride to move the key out of operative engagement with the shaft," and a latch carried by the hub to engage the controlling member when the latter is moved to effect said disconnection.

This specification signed this 25th day of September, A. D. 1916.

LOUIS T. WEISS. ANTONIN CHAPAL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

